Morris pcters co



(No Model.) 8 sheets-sheer. t;

G. M. GUILD. UPRIGHT PIAN() ACTION.

.Ne 486,808. Patented Nov. 22, 1892.

will" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MORSE GUILD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO L. A. GUILD,OF SAME PLACE.

UPRIGHT-PIANO ACTION.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,808, dated November22, 1892.

Application filed March '7, 1392. Serial No. 424,073. (No model.) V

To all whom it 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MORSE GUILD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain Improvements in Upright -Piano Actions, of whichthe followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this ro specification,in which- Figure lis a front elevation of an uprightpiano actionconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the t5 same with the parts inthe positions which they occupy when the key is depressed. Fig. 4. is adetail representing in perspective the 'jack-buttand hammer-heel, thebumper,and the upper portion of the lifter-rod and jack.

2o My invention relates to upright-piano actions, and has for its objectto simplify and reduce the cost of construction and to produce at thesame time a light elastic and powerful action, which will not beinjuriously affected by climatic changes, and in which the notes can berepeated in a perfect and effective manner; and to this end my inventionconsists in certain novel combinations of parts and details ofconstruction, as herein- 3o after set forth and specifically claimed.

In the said drawings, A represents the center rail, to the upper portionof which are secured the flanges ab, the former a having pivoted theretothe damper-lever B, carrying the damper C, while to the latter b ispivoted at 6 the hammer-'heel C, the lower portion of which is properlyshaped and constructed to form the jack-butt D, (sometimes called thehammer-butt.)

4o E represents the hammer, d the hammersteln, G t-he hammer-rail, and ethe damperspring, all constructedin the usual manner.

II is a rail having secured to its under side a iiangef, to which ispivoted a lever I, which rests upon and is supported by anadjustingscrew g, projecting upward from the inner end of the key L,fulcrumed at h, the head of the screw g bearing upon a cushion la,applied to the under Surface of thelever I. To

5o the lever I is pivoted at 10 the lower end of an upright rod or barM, the free end of which forms the jack, while the opposite end formsthe lifter, the entire rod or bar forming what I term a combinedlifter-rod and jack, the upper or free end of which lies directlybeneath the jack-butt D and acts upon the same to operate the hammerwhen raised by the depression of the key L through thelever I,previously referred to, an elastic cushion or stop l2 being provided,against. which the up- 6o per end of the lifter-rod and jack normallyrests, as seen in Fig. 2. The adjusting-screw g enables the parts to bereadily adjusted to compensate for wear, the head of said screw g beingpreferably provided with holes to receive the end of a rod or otherimplementby which it may be turned 'to effect the adjustment required.

lis aguide-pin and hammer-retractor, which projects from the under sideof the hammer- 7o heel or jack-butt D and is bent at a right angle toextend forward, as shown, said pin passing through a bushed slot fn,(shown in Fig. 4,) formed at the free end of the lifterrod and jack. Thepin Z, which takes the place of the guide-ange hitherto used, workssmoothly and without any friction iu the slot n and forms a simple,cheap, and eilective guide for steadying and preventing the lifterrodand jack from having any lateral move- 8o ment, whereby it is kept atall times exactly in line with the jack-butt D, as required. `A furtheradvantage possessed by this guidepin vis that after the hammer hasstruck its blow upon the string and the key has been released the weightof thelifter-rod and jack and mechanism connected therewith will bebrought upon the guide-pin by the contact of the end of the slot. yntherewith and thus transmitted to the hammer-heel, operating 9opositively in this manner as an assistant device to insure the instantretraction or withdrawal of thehammerin case the jointsliould beaffected by dam pness and renderingit necessary to employ only a verylight and ineX- pensive hammer-spring, thus materially reducing thecostof the action and rendering the touch of the instrument verylightand elastic.

The hammer-spring which I prefer to employ in connection with theaforesaid conloo struction consists of a light spring p, composed ofstraight wire, one end being preferably secured at 15 to the jack orbarM,whilc its opposite end bears with suitable tension against a restor projection 16, located on one side of the jack-butt or hammer-heel,and having on its inner side an open slot or notch 8, Fig. 4, to receivethe end of the springp and keep it in place, said spring sliding in saidslot and by its tension exerting an out' ward pressure upon thejack-buttor hammerheel above the level of its pivot or fulcrum G towithdraw or retract the hammer on the release of the key L.

To the rear end of the lever I, which raises the lifter-rod and jack, issecured the throw- OE arm q, which, when the key Lis depressed, iscaused to act upon the lower end of an intermediate lever N, pivoted at17 to a flange 0', secured to the bottom of the rail A,said lever Nbeing thus caused to strike an adjustable button s, secured to the endof a regulating-screw t, passing` through the lifter-rod and jack M,whereby the upper or free end of said lifter-rod and jack isthrown offits seat w to allow the hammer to recede from the string x, and by meansof this screw the operation of these parts lnay be regulated with thegreatest nicety. Furthermore, there is no friction between the button sand the lever N, as the button does not slide upon the straight face ofthe lever while in contact therewith.

The upperor shortarm of the leverN is not normally in contact with thelower endof the damper-lever B, but is slightly removed therefrom and isbrought into contact therewith to actuate the same, as required,whenoperated by the throw-ofi:` arm q on the depression of the key L, and bymaking the lower arm of the intermediate actuating-lever N of greatlength and the upper arm above the pivot short, as shown, the leverageis increased, so that the key will move the damper with the greatestease and without the contact of the short arm of the lever N with thedamper-lever B as the key is depressed, being felt by the performer inthe slightest degree, even if a stiff damper-spring is employed, theaction being by this construction rendered easy and elastic.Furthermore, by employing the throw-off arm Q, projecting from the endof lever I, to actuate the lever N the necessary amount or range ofmotion is secured to move the long arm of the said lever N a suiticientdistance to produce the required movement of the dam per-lever, and asthe front face of the lever N at ZO is normally situated some littledistance from theregulating-button s it does not come into contactwithit until the hammer has nearly touched the string, and consequentlythelifter-rod and jack M remains under the shoulder or seat w ot' thejack-butt until after the blow has been struck, when it is instantlythrown off its seat w into the position shown in Fig. 3, an elasticcushion or buffer a', secured to the free end of the lifter rod and jackbeing by this movement brought into Contact with the bumper Q, to behereinafter described, which thus forms a back-stop therefor. By thismeans the blow of thehammer -uponthe string is given with its full forcebefore the lifter-rod and jack commences to be thrown ol the shoulder orseatw ofthe jack-butt, resulting in the full force of the blow upon thekey being always transmitted to the string. As the key L is depressed anincreased tension in a backward direction is put upon the springp by themovement ofthe parts into the position shown in Fig. 3, the spring beingthus ready to act in the proper direction to effect the recession of theham mer at the proper time, and as the lifter-rod and jack commences tofall on the release of the key L the tension of the spring p under thearrangement described acting upon the said lifter rod and jack in aninward direction causes its free or upper end to be instantly returnedto its original position beneath the seat w of the jack-butt against thestop 12, as seen in Fig. 2, ready for a repetition of the blow of thehammer. By this construction l am enabled to reseat the free end of thelifter-rod and jack beneath the jack-butt the moment the key L isrelieved of the pressure of the finger, the parts being thus ready foranother blow when the hammer has receded but a short distance from thestring, which gives me the advantage of being enabled to repeat rapidlywithout removing the finger from the key and at the same time cause thehammer to give a [inc and perfect blow each time it strikes the string.

By arranging the light spring 1) in the manner described to perform thedouble function of a hammer-spring and a spring for rescating thelifter-rod and jack beneath the jackbuttv it can be made of very muchlighter wire than any hammer-spring hitherto used, thereby giving theinstrument a much lighter and more delicate touch, as the full force ofthe spring is not felt on the key until just before the blow is struck,the ordinary hammerspring and hammer-spring rail hitherto necessarybeing by this construction entirely dispensed with, thereby stillfurther reducing the cost of construction.

P is the back-catch, which is secu red to and projects at or nearly ataright angle from the front side of the intermediate lever N by which thedamper-lever B is operated. This back-catch Pis provided with an elasticcushion 25, which, when the lever N is actuated by the throw-oit arm qon the key beingdepressed, as described. isbrought up firmly andsquarely against the lower end of a long bumper Q, pro jecting down fromthe hammer-heel C, serving as it is pressed against said bumper to holdthe hammer from rebounding as soon as it has struck the string and hasfallen back, as seen in Fig. 3. By thus securing the back-catch to thelever N and making the bumper Q of great length, so that its lower endwill have an extended range of motion as the hammer swings on its pivot,the back-catch and bumper will always be at or nearly at right angles toeach iriiiiii other, causing the pressure of the back-catch to be alwaysexerted upon the bumper endwise or in the direction of its length,holding it firmly and securely, whether the blow `of the hammer be alight or a powerful one, and consequently there will be no tendency ofthe end of the bumper to slide or slip down on the back-catch, as hasheretofore been liable to occur, and which is very objectionable, as itproduces a wedging of the backcatch and c bumper together and aconsequent choking of the action, owing to their failure to separate onthe release of the key. With this construction any extra pressure on thekey to produce a powerful blow of the hammer Will only cause theback-catch to be pressed more firmly against the end of the bumperwithout any slip in any direction, and as soon as the key is releasedthe back-catch and bumper will separate at once, leaving the parts freeto operate as before described, while when the key is being depressedthe back-catch and bumper are kept at a short distance apart and onlycome into contact when thefhammer falls back from the string, the bumperbeing then instantly caught by the back-catch and held firmly, asrequired, until the key is released, when the weight of the back-catchwill assist in returning the lever Nto its normal position, as seen inFig. 2.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,,is-

1. In an upright-piano action, the combination, with the hammer andhammer-heel, the latter provided with a rest or projection 16, the jack,and the j ack-butt co-operating with the latter, of the spring p,secured at one end to the jack and having its opposite or free end incontact with the rest or projection 16, said spring sliding on said restand exerting an outward pressure against the same, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In an upright-piano action, the combination of the lever I, pivotedto the rail H, the lifter-rod and jack pivoted at its lower end to saidlever I and provided with the regulatingbutton s, the throw-o arm q,projecting from the lever I, and the intermediate lever N, arrangedbetween the throw-off arm and the button s, substantially as set forth.

3. In an upright-piano action, the combination of the lever I, pivotedto the ange of the rail H and actuated by the key L, the lifterrod andjack M, pivoted to said lever I and provided with the regulating-buttons and slot fn, the throw-off arm q, secured to the lever I, theintermediate lever N, arranged between the throw-o arm and the button s,the

jack-butt, hammer-heel, and hammer, the guide-pin Z, projecting throughthe slot n, and the spring p, the latter connected at one end with thelifter-rod and jack M and at the opposite end with the j ack-butt orhammer-heel, all operating substantially as described.

4. In an upright-piano action, the combination of the lever I, thelifter-rod and jack M, pivoted thereto, the lever N, operated by thelever I, the hammer-heel having the jack-butt formed thereon, theback-catch P, secured to the lever N, and they bumper Q, projecting fromthe hammer-heel and adapted to be caught and held by the back-catch asthe lever N is actuated, substantially as described.

5. In an uprightpiano action, the combination of the lever I, thelifter-rod and jack M, pivoted thereto, the lever N, operated by thelever I, the hammer-heel having the jack-butt formed thereon, aspringconnected at one end with said lifter-rod and jack and at the oppositeend with the hammer-heel or jack-butt, the back-catch P, secured to thelever N, and the bumper Q, projecting from the hammerheel and adapted tobe caught and held by the back-catch as the lever N is actuated,substantially as set forth.

6. In an upright-piano action, the combination of the lever I, pivotedto the flange of the rail H, the lever N, operated by the lever I, thelifter-rod and jack M, pivoted to the lever I and provided with thebutton s, the hammer-heel having the jack-butt formed thereon, thespring p, the back'catch P, secured to the lever N, and the bumper Q,projecting from the hammer-heel, all operating substantially asdescribed.

7. In an upright-piano action, the lifter-rod and jack pivoted to thelever I and provided with the regulating-button s, in combination withthe hammer-heel having the jack-butt formed thereon, the intermediatelever N, the throw-off arm q, projecting from the lever I and adapted tomove the lever N into contact with the button s, and Vthe spring p,adapted to seat the lifter-rod and jack beneath the jack-butt andretract the hammer after the blow, substantially asset forth.

8. In an upright-piano'action, the combination of the lever I, thelifter-rod and jack pivoted thereto and provided with theregulating-button S and slot n, the hammer-heel having the jack-buttformed thereon, the intermediate lever N, the throw-off arm q,projecting from the lever I and adapted to move the lever N into contactwith the button s, the springp, connected at one end with the liftrodand jack and at the opposite end with the jack-butt or hammer-heel, andthe'guide-pin Z, projecting through the slot n, formed in the free endof the lifter-rod and jack, substantially as set forth.

9. In an upright-piano action, the lever I, pivoted to the flange of therail H, the lifter-rod and jack pivoted at its lower end to said leverI, and the hammer-heel having the jack-butt formed thereon, the latterprovided with the seat w and stop 12, in combination with the key L,provided with the adjusting-screw g, the latter adapted to contact withthe under side of the lever I to lift the same, substantially asdescribed.

10. In an upright-piano action, the combina tion, with the lever I,provided with the throwoff arm q and pivoted to the rail H, thelifterrod and jack M, pivoted at its lower end to said lever I andprovided with the regulatinghutton s, and the hammer-heel C, having thejack-butt D formed thereon, of the lever N, the back-catch P, secured toand projecting from the front side of the lever N, and the elongatedbumper Q, projecting down from the hammer-heel and adapted to be caughtand held without slip by the back-catch as the lever N is actuated,substantially as set forth.

ll. In an upright-piano action, the combination of the damper anddamper-lever, the latter pivoted to the iiange a of the rail A, thehammer and hammer-heel, the latter having the jack-butt formed thereon,the lever I, pivoted to the rail H and having the lower end of thelifter-rod and jack pivoted thereto, and an intermediate lever N,operated by the lever I and adapted to actuate the damper-lever on thedepression of the key, substantially as set forth.

12. In an upright-piano aclion,the combination of the damper anddamper-lever, thelatter pivoted to the flange a of the rail A, theintermediate actuating-lever N, the lever I, pivoted to the rail II andprovided with the throw-olf arm q, the latter adapted to move the leverN to actuate the damper-lever on the depression of the key, thelifter-rod and jack pivoted to the lever I, and the jack-butt D,substantially as described.

13. In an upright-piano action,the combination of the rail A, ilange a,hammer E, hammerheel C,having the jack-butt D formed thereon, thelifter-rod and jack M, provided at its free end with the slot o?. andhaving the adjustable button s, the spring p, having one end connectedwith the hammer-heel or jack-butt, and the other end with the lifter-rodand jack, the guide-pin Z,projectiug from the hammer-heel and engagingthe slot n, the lever I, pivoted to the flange of the rail H and havingthe lifter-rod and jack pivoted thereto, said lever I being providedwith the throw-oft' arm q, the key L, provided with the adjusting-screwg, the lever N, the back-catch P,`secured to the lever N, and the bumperQ, projecting from the hammer-heehall constructed and arranged tooperate substantially as set; forth.

14. An action for upright-pianos, substantially as described, the sameconsisting of the rail A, flange a, hammer E, hammer-heel C, having thejack-buttD formed thereon, the lifter-rod and jack M, provided at itsfree end with the slot 'n and having the adjustable buttons, thespringp, having one end connected with the ham mer-heel orjack-butt andthe other end with the lifter-rod and jack, the guidepin Z, projectingfrom the hammer-heel and engaging the slot fn, the 1ever I, pivoted tothe flange ofthe rail I-I and having the lifter-rod and jack pivotedthereto, said lever I being provided with the throwolf arm q, the key L,provided with the adjusting-screw g, the lever N, the backcatch P,secured to the lever N, the `bumper Q,projecting from the hammer-heel,the damper c,

damper-lever B, pivoted to the flange aY and adapted to be actuated bythe lever N, and the damper-spring e, all constructed and arranged tooperate substantially as described. 15. In an u pright-piano action, thecombination of the lever I, pivoted to the langefof the rail Il, thelifter-rod and jack M, pivoted at its lower end to said lever I andprovided with the adjustable button s, the hammer-heel having the jackbutt D formed thereon,the throw-oit arm q, projecting from the lever I,the lever N, and the key L with its adjustingscrew g. the latter forminga rest for thelever Lall operating substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of March, A. D. 1892.

GEORGE MORSE GUILD. In presence of- P. E. TESCHEMACHER, HARRY W. AIKEN.

